12-17-2013

   Good Morning All,

    Proverbs 1:7; “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

    We often hear of people who went to the school of “hard knocks” where each of life’s lesson was learned the hard way, usually through some unpleasant experiences.  If only they would listen once in a while.  You can warn them and warn them but they just won’t listen; they have to try it for themselves to see what happens.  How many of you had to stick your tongue on a frozen pole?  You learned the hard way didn’t you.  Now that you tried it and you knew what would happen, did you try it a second time?  Many do.  They had the knowledge but they didn’t have the wisdom to use that knowledge correctly.

    On this, Dec. 17, the ancient church would begin to sing what were called the “O, Antiphons.” An antiphon is a musical verse which is sun or chanted in a “speak and respond” setting.  It represented the time for the ending of Advent and a prayer for Jesus to come to earth again, this time to finish the task of restoring creation.  The “O, Antiphon” for today is about wisdom.                           

  O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,

reaching from one end to the other,

mightily and sweetly ordering all things:

Come and teach us the way of prudence.

    The prayer is for God’s Wisdom to come to us and teach us prudence.  It is a prayer that has many levels of meaning.  First we earnestly prayer for wisdom as we face each day.  What is the right way to share God’s grace?  What are the proper actions for a Christian?  Sometimes we may wonder which way is the best.  We want to live a God-pleasing life; it is our desire.  Yet from our knowledge we know that we don’t always get it right. We need God’s Wisdom, the ability to ascertain the right path.

    Yet this prayer also takes on a higher meaning as well.  Jesus is God’s Wisdom.  God shows us this by the fact that what is “foolish to man” is “wise to God”.  To the human mind, dying for someone who hates you and despises you is very foolish; yet this is what Christ did for us.  “While we were sinners, Christ died for us.” It makes no sense because it requires a love greater than we have.  It requires the perfect all-sacrificial love that only God has.  So we pray that this Wisdom which is the answer to our prayer would come; that is to return and restore everything to complete and perfect harmony, to end all pain and tyranny.  Come Lord, Jesus, come.

O Wisdom from on High, come we pray.  Restore your creation and our lives to perfection.  End all pain and sadness.  Bring your Spirit of light and life.  Be with us we pray.  Come precious Lord, O Wisdom of the Most High.  In Your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret